Kashmir’s Human Rights Body summons murder accused police officer

Srinagar, May 28: Jammu Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Monday issued a notice to Inspector Gazanfar Ali of the Jammu Kashmir Police to appear in person on July 23 this year to provide his version of events with regard to an alleged murder of a youth.

The case relates to the extra-judicial execution of 20-year-old student Junaid Khuroo on 29 June 2011. The family of the victim alleges that he was killed by personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, led by the then Inspector Gazanfar Ali, Station House Officer, Police Station Sopore.

The police refute the allegations of the family and claim that the victim was a militant and he initiated an encounter following which he committed suicide. “FIR vide number 178/2011 was filed by the Sopore police with this version of events and closed as untraced.”

The SHRC has been hearing this case since 2011. The police investigation wing of the SHRC conducted an independent enquiry in which they confirmed the allegations of the family of the victim, held Sopore police responsible, and directed for the registration of a separate FIR and investigation by the Crime Branch. Based on this report, the SHRC summoned Dr. Fida Hussain who had examined the dead body of slain student Junaid. The doctor submitted before the SHRC that he was pressurized by the then BMO Abdul Rashid Wani and “police officials” to carry out the physical examination of the body at the Special Operations Group Camp and he was unable to carry out an autopsy.